Where the Journey Continues

Today we had a chance to talk about the second stage in the Journey series, how we develop as believers. We've been thinking about this concept of a believers journey for a few weeks, and everyone has different ideas about the way we frame these stages.

I like the quote that Graham called upon from "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring." In the film, Frodo is in the early stages of his perilous journey, but it has been a difficult task and he is beginning to have doubts about his ability to see it through because of all the challenges and temptations he faces. He tells Gandolf, "I wish the ring had never come to me."

Gandolf responds, "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought."

I think the deeper meaning of the exchange is that our faith lives are a journey fraught with obstacles and temptations. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming. The truth is that we don't have the strength to do it on our own, but then again when we put our faith in Jesus Christ we are never alone. We just have to endure.

Last week I referenced some of the words of Donald Miller. I think they speak to this second part of the journey as well. He talks about most people misperceiving their conversion as the third act climax, when really it's a turning point early in the second act for most of us. That means we'll still have conflict that we have to overcome along the way.

I think that what really marks the transition to this journey is when we struggle to find answers for ourselves. When we first start out, we are like sponges. We soak up all this knowledge when we go on Sundays from all our teachers, and when we're squeezed by the world we let that knowledge flow out again the same as it came in.

But there comes a point when we can't simple rely on the knowledge of others, when we need to do more, when we need our beliefs to become our own. I think we make the transition into that intermediate level when we start to look for the answers on our own and start to express our faith to others in a meaningful way. There is a joy that comes from finding answers on our own, when our faith starts to become real to us, to develop roots.

That doesn't mean it's always easy, but the best things in life take work. That's the case with our faith too.